Take some homemade cookies to those who have to work on holidays like our firemen.

Plastic Shopping Bags

This is a mat for the homeless made from discarded plastic shopping bags! Go here for more information.

Salvation Army

Turn a $10.00 bill into ten ones and drop a dollar in the bucket as you go from store to store to shop. Brings great encouragement to the person faithfully ringing the bell and goes for a great cause.

A special Christmas gift that keeps on giving

World Vision

Caring

Reach out and touch someone

Friendship bag

Friendship bag

a pop-top can of fruit or fruit cocktail

a pop-top can of Vienna sausage

a small can of juice

a package of cheese and crackers, or peanut butter and crackers

a napkin and plastic fork

a moist towelette

one all-day bus pass

change for a local phone call

a card with community contact phone numbers (crisis clinic, food bank, salvation army)

a coupon for a free shower at the local YMCA

Create and carry a few of these bags in your car and the next time you come to a stop light with a homeless person holding a sign................ you will have something wonderful to share and bring hope to those in need without having to be concerned that you will give them money that could be used for something you do not want to support.

Bridge and Beyond Project

Click on the picture for more information about this group and to the questions they ask below...

just say yes to one.

Can you can knit, or crochet and make something to donate?

Can you can blog about this to spread the word?

Can you can place our badge on your blog or website to spread the news?

Can you can tell your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers about it?

Does someone in your circle knit, crochet, have yarn they no longer use, blog, have a website?

Can you donate socks? Which are always a needed item...nothing worse than cold wet feet.

Can you can collect little soaps, lotions, shampoo etc? Start saving all those samples at hotels when you travel (either for business or pleasure).

Can you put out a box to collect things at work?

Can you place a notice in your school's newsletter, your church's bulletin?

Do you have an old, no longer being used backpack you could fill with warm clothing, or instant food?

A Helping hand

Donate

There are many organizations that will make good use of that old cell phone.

Baby bottle

Purchase a baby bottle and fill it with your loose change.
When full, donatate it to your local Crisis pregnancy center and both will be used and appreciated.

Food Bank

The next time you are at the grocery store and it is a two for one deal....buy it and donate one to your local food bank. They are always in need.

Making a difference

In this photo taken Oct. 8, 2009, Derreck Kayongo displays bars of soap he has stored in the basement of his Lawrenceville, Ga., home. Kayongo has collected five tons of lightly used bars through his Global Soap Project, which melts them down, sterilizes them and reshapes them before sending them to refugees back in Uganda to help curb disease there. The soap-maker's son forced to flee a dictatorship years ago in Uganda is helping clean up his war-torn homeland, one used bar of American hotel soap at a time. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

Donate your old glasses. Veteran's homes will refit and distribute them to people in need.

The most caring child

Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he was asked to judge.

The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child.

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old man's yard, climbed onto his lap and just sat there. When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, "nothing, I just helped him cry."

If you're close to Gainesville, Florida

You can volunteer some time at this wonderful sanctuary.

Beauty Tips by Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.


For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.


For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.


For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.


For poise,
Walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.


People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed;
Never throw out anybody.


Remember, if you need a helping hand,
You'll find one at the end of your arm.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands,

One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears,
The figure that she carried, or the way she combs her hair.
The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes,
Because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.


The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole,
But true beauty of a woman is reflected in her soul.


It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows,
And the beauty of a woman with passing years-only grows!

Frequent-flyer Miles

If you happen to be a traveler that has accumulated more miles than can be used....Donate them to a charity that flies sick children to medical specialists.

An effort that pays back for years and years

Plant a tree

A list of benefits of planted tree's can be found here and it is especially important in Urban area's

Making a difference

That loose change in your purse could make a difference..............

Fill in when needed

Click for giving

Everyone has a routine and it is so easy to include a daily (click on) routine for giving.

If you go here you will find six different organizations that you can click on and they will make a donation.

Go here to say Thank You for those who are serving in the military.

These take such little time and can make a huge difference. Just add them to your favorite site and make a habit of daily clicking for giving.

Helping hand

Hubby and I have favorite seats on airplanes...him the aisle and me the window. We weren't able to achieve this seating arrangement this past week-end on our flight back from Seattle as a young man (young to us) had reserved the aisle seat. After we landed the young man jumped up and moved into the isle a couple of rows ahead of ours (a little strange and a bit rude) so hubby got up and stood in the aisle of our row. He noticed an older couple sitting in the row opposite of us and asked if they had luggage in the overhead bin; the lady said yes and after describing them, my hubby got them down for them. He held up the aisle when it was our rows turn to go and helped them out.

Yesterday entering a store with my Granddaughter she walked side by side with a older woman (older than her) rather than holding the door for her and letting her go first. I gave her a little reminder that courtesy counts.

Make one...give one

How about the concept of make one (let's say a pie) and give one away. Takes just a little more ingredients and hardly no more time........the clean up is the same and it could definitely brighten someones day.

More than required

Read the story on this blog and be inspired...................

The gift of time

Last week while in a restaurant I watched one of the waitress's who was not very busy go over to a small booth where an elderly man sat eating alone. She sat down across from him and began talking with him and the transformation in that man was incredible! That subdued, quiet man suddenly flashed the most wondrous smile and even a little laugh as she chatted with him. Later, I asked her if she knew him and she said no, but that he was a really nice man. There is nothing so precious as the gift of your time, remember to share it.

Giving

Carry a McDonalds coupon book in your car and give coupons to a homeless person instead of money.

A very pleasant experience.

It was my good fortune to enjoy this on another Cookie's Oven blog post recently.

Proper support

My hubby is probably one of the kindest people I know and he often does special little things. The other day he was on his way to the shop and passed a house that had a little kool aid stand set up in the front yard with two little boys manning it. He went back around the block and then stopped and asked how much was the kool aid...50 cents they replied. He bought one and took a drink and thanked them. After he was out of sight he threw it away as he is not a kool aid drinker but he is a supporter of young entrepreneurs.

An unexpected reminder

Recently while putting groceries in the back of my car there was a Dad and his little boy who were also putting their groceries in their car and when finished he said to his little boy, "now we have to put the cart away, not a lot of people do that, but it is the right thing to do"
GULP....find me guilty but I will try to do better.

Our United States Millitary

Gun in one hand and yet loving arms.......
this is when kindness is beyond words.

Surprise appreciation

Don't have a green thumb?

Leave some coins in your neighbors garden that does...............

Do your part

Generous

Waiters and waitresses are probably the hardest working people around and the least appreciated. Time and time again I have seen people not even so much as make eye contact with a server as if they are below them in some way. I have committed to make eye contact and to say thank you when I am served and my hubby leaves a 20% tip no matter how high the bill is.

Since we eat out frequently, I bet you can guess that we are warmly welcomed and in return we receive excellent service but even more important many of them have become friends.

Tip? Don't forget to leave one and be generous!

A word

As told to me by my daughter recently..........
The other night I went to my support group and remember I told you that there are a lot of older women? Well, there is this one lady and she is so sweet and I told her "you are really beautiful" and Mom.........she started to cry. I asked what was wrong and she said "that is something I don't hear very often anymore".

Maybe we could each speak a (not so often word of encouragement) into someones life......

Caring can be found everywhere

Light on your feet and in your heart

Last evening hubby and I went to the Country Club for dinner and the live music was exceptionally good. Two older couples were sitting close to us and one couple headed to the dance floor. The musician must have known them and noted they were in their 80's!
We got up and joined them and I told them they were an inspiration!
Indeed they were........Never turn down and opportunity to dance.

STEPS TO KINDNESS

HOW TO BE KIND
edited from wikiHOW

1. Be happy. Before you can be kind to others you have to be kind to yourself.

2. Avoid gossiping/spreading rumors about other people.

3. Be a good listener. When talking to someone try to listen until they are done.

4. Compliment people.

5. Be yourself.

6. Start each day with a plan. Be happy by making others happy.

7. Offer to pet sit, when you know a friend is going on vacation. If you know a neighbor is sick, ask them if they need groceries, when you go food shopping.

8. Stop and talk to someone who is lonely, share a cup of coffee and pick up the bill.

9. Whatever you say, whenever you say it, do so in a calm, polite voice that is respectful to the other side.

10. Help, even if you aren't asked. You should look around to see if someone needs help and help them without prompting.

11. Make it a hobby to try every once in a while to volunteer somewhere or do something nice for other people.

12. Don't try to take credit when you're nice. There is a lot of satisfaction in watching someone do something because you've helped him when he doesn't know he's been helped.

Feel free to add more "Steps To Kindness" in the comments or share an event of kindness in your life.

Do it right

Be on Time

Being on time shows respect for someone else's time and life.

Charity

Charity according to Webster's Dictionary:
Money or help given to aid the needy; an organization fund, or institution whose purpose is to aid those in need.
My translation.......someone who cares



If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
~Bob Hope (Thanks for the memories)

With permission

I have asked permission to copy this comment to a post from Nov. 19, 2008 on Changes in the Wind about wanting to reach out and touch people. This was so very special, so I wanted to start us of with it....

sheoflittlebrain said...
Changes, I love this idea! As our small town has grown and become crowded with busy people the heart has gone out of it. I no longer feel the same way about Prescott..I wouldn't tell this, but since the idea is to tell..when I was at the Dr.s office the other day a woman came in, sent to my specialist by some other Dr. She was obviously stressed and needed to see him soon because she was from out of town and was also responsible for another person who was having a CT scan somewhere else. The office girls were indifferent to her plight and said she'd have to wait an hour. The waiting room was jam packed and I watched her find a chair, obviously fighting off tears. Her shoulders were slumped..her feet were swollen.. She was stressed to the point of breaking.I went up to the window and offered to give her my appointment and come back in an hour to take the slot they'd allotted for her. They argued, I persisted..finally they agreed to..just.. slot her right in.I've felt good about that ever since:)
November 23, 2008 11:32 AM

Join

Send me your e-mail address if you would like to join in. I will send you a e-mail invite to join the group. This will allow you to post on this blog. My email address is Mjames7704@cox.net
Please use the subject "Strings" in your emails to me and include your first name for the contributors list.
Thanks!
Monica